as in clowning
wildly playful or mischievous behavior
their madcap buffoonery turned the duo into the nation's hottest comedy act
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of buffoonery
Death by Lightning, adapted by Mike Makowsky from Candice Millard’s 2011 nonfiction book and directed by Matt Ross, hums with the strength of these performances, particularly Shannon’s quiet composure and Macfadyen mining new depths of buffoonery.
—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
1 Dec. 2025
Since medieval times, the colorful fool—from court jesters to Shakespeare’s characters—has used playful wit to critique authority and buffoonery to whip up excitement.
—
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
Their relationship, tentative, intimate, and defiant, lingers long after the satirical skewering of male buffoonery has faded.
—
Leila Latif,
IndieWire,
5 Sep. 2025
He’s been tinkering with this messaging on and off since damn near the start of the century, when his criticism of the genre shifted from the power-holding executives (both white and Black) of the music industry who were profiting off buffoonery, a la Bamboozled, to rap music itself.
—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for buffoonery
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
1 Dec. 2025
Since medieval times, the colorful fool—from court jesters to Shakespeare’s characters—has used playful wit to critique authority and buffoonery to whip up excitement.
—
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
Their relationship, tentative, intimate, and defiant, lingers long after the satirical skewering of male buffoonery has faded.
—
Leila Latif,
IndieWire,
5 Sep. 2025
He’s been tinkering with this messaging on and off since damn near the start of the century, when his criticism of the genre shifted from the power-holding executives (both white and Black) of the music industry who were profiting off buffoonery, a la Bamboozled, to rap music itself.
—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for buffoonery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buffoonery
Noun
-
The clowning might be a little too effortful.
-
As the race unfolds in real time, there’s clowning, collisions, sabotage, surprises, comedy, chaos and more.
Noun
-
Oh, but the Padres manager was ready with the joking last night.
-
Still, Yoon’s joking somehow lightens the mood.
Noun
-
The project has been plagued by technical issues, supplier disputes, and alleged tomfoolery—empty mini tequila bottles were reportedly discovered on one of the airplanes under construction.
-
The latest tomfoolery consisted of a posting on Twitter/X last week that provided a picture of a genuine Monet painting, and the picture was labeled as supposedly being AI-generated.
Noun
-
As for Abdul-Mateen, the clownery will resume for him on Broadway.
-
Tirhakah Love is a senior writer at New York Magazine and the host of the new evening newsletter Dinner Party, a daily email that touches on all things entertainment — that means film, television, music, tech, and gaming — plus politics and corporate clownery.
Noun
-
When horseplay turns into an impromptu hookup, neither of the young men fight the urge.
-
After France’s 4-3 victory against Argentina at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, horseplay between the players at the team hotel culminated in back-up centre-back Adil Rami setting off a fire extinguisher in the early hours of the morning.
Noun
-
Jeffrey Jones played Principal Ed Rooney, Ferris' nemesis, who is dead set on catching Bueller in his foolery, but ultimately fails at his mission.
-
One way to stop this proliferation of deep-fake nudity is to prosecute the offenders and make examples that such foolery has consequences.
Noun
-
Their shows are driven by a physicality both intricately choreographed and fizzily chaotic, tightness and looseness alternating — even somehow overlapping — in a rolling series of lazzi and dances, fistfights and slapstick routines.
-
Kim Jee-woon’s astonishing action-thriller is a fusion of ideas and genres, including a surprising but not-unwelcome slapstick comedy runner.
Noun
-
Against that background, the show’s playfulness gave the clothes some tension.
-
To commemorate the grand opening, Butter Baby has released Blind Box Series 1, featuring seven collectible characters in different outfits and moods that capture the playfulness of the viral character.
Cite this Entry
“Buffoonery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buffoonery. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
